I stepped into the grand hall, my eyes flicking across the room.
Unsurprisingly, only a handful of students were here—Bella, Siri, Nick, and a few others. Great.
So, it was exactly what I thought.
I wasn't invited here as a guest.
I was invited for work.I let out a quiet exhale, pressing my lips together. I wasn't even mad about it—I'd expected this.
What did frustrate me, though, was the fact that I had my final exam tomorrow.
I got that they weren't worried about their grades, but I definitely was.
Unlike them, I didn't have the luxury of breezing through life without a care.
But did I have a choice? Nope.
So, let's just get this over with as fast as possible
.Fighting, Iyra. You got this.
Just as I was settling into my thoughts, Bella strutted over, all confidence and no concern, tossing a sketchbook and a set of markers onto the table.
Here we go."The party's gonna be huge," she announced, like I wasn't already aware.
"Not just the college hall—the whole campus is getting decorated. So, do all the paperwork and design the layout."
And just like that, she was gone, barely sparing me another glance before returning to whatever important business she had—probably texting or filing her nails.
I sighed, pulled out a chair, and flipped open the book.
If I was gonna be stuck here, I might as well do it right.
My pencil glided over the page as I sketched out layouts, minding the flow of the space, calculating what would be efficient but still visually stunning.
Aesthetic and practical—because unlike these elites, I actually had to work for things.Around me, a few students shuffled about, but most of the elites barely lifted a finger.
Bella was glued to her phone, typing furiously, while Nick was completely immersed in his game, probably trying to beat some level that had zero impact on his actual life.
"Woah, that looks pretty," Siri's voice cut through the silence as she suddenly leaned over, scanning my sketches.
I glanced up, meeting her curious gaze. "Thanks," I replied simply, keeping my tone neutral.But something felt... off.
A compliment?
From her? My instincts immediately went on high alert.
Compliments weren't exactly the currency around here—unless they came with a hidden price.
Was I overthinking it? Probably. Maybe I should let my guard down for once and just take things as they were.
Besides, they all feared Rose. No one here would dare try anything… at least, not yet.
Before I could dwell on it any longer, the sound of footsteps and casual chatter filled the hall.
And like that, the real show was about to begin.
The door creaked open and in walked a guy who looked like he belonged on the cover of a fashion magazine.
Grey eyes.
Brown hair.
Hoodie on. That easy swagger.
Kian Hayes.Of course, it's him.
He strolled in like he owned the place, a paper bag of food swinging from one hand. "Lunch is here, ladies!" he called out with a grin that probably had Siri blushing already.
Right on cue, Siri practically floated over. "Oh my God, thanks, Kian. You're the sweetest. You always think about us.
"People like you should be cared for," he said smoothly, not missing a beat—of course, not missing a chance to flirt either.
I rolled my eyes, lips twitching. That's Kian Hayes for you.
The walking, talking, hoodie-wearing reason every girl on campus daydreams in 1080p. No surprise he's called a ladies' man. Or a player. Or whatever the trending term is this week.
I shook my head, refocusing on my sketches No time for charm in a hoodie.
(Author's POV)
Bella made her way to the table like she couldn't be less bothered.
No eye contact, no effort. Just lunch.
But Kian was faster.
He grabbed the food right before she could reach it. "This food's for humans, not witches, my sista," he smirked.
Laughter erupted around the room.
Bella didn't miss a beat. She rolled her eyes, tossed her hair like she was in a shampoo commercial, and said, "Wow, you've gotten so funny I don't even know when to laugh anymore.
"Still, there was a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
She snatched her purse from the couch and added, "Fine. Take your stupid food.
I'm having lunch at Andrew's Restaurant anyway."Cue dramatic heel stomps as she strutted out like a runway model.
But anyone paying attention could see it—she was glowing.Kian's smile dropped like a mic. "Stay away from that jerk or I swear I'm gonna kill him! You hear me? Hey—you—I'm calling Dad! I'll block your credit card, Bella!"Before the man could launch into full-blown big-brother meltdown mode, Nick swooped in, slapped a hand over Kian's mouth, and dragged him back like a misbehaving puppy.
But the ranting didn't stop. Just got muffled.
(Iyra'sPOV)
Wait—hold up.
Did I just hear that right?
Bella said she's going to Andrew's Restaurant?And that look in her eyes... That smug little sparkle like she's won some invisible competition.
Oh no. Oh no no no.
Please don't tell me Bella likes Andrew.
THE Andrew. Sweet, polite, total-green-flag Andrew.
The same guy who casually mentioned he was dating someone—but never said who.Could it be… Bella?
No way. Kian would never let that happen. As far as I've seen, he goes full murder-mode if Bella even breathes near a questionable guy.
And Andrew is definitely not Kian-approved.
But then again… Andrew is kinda hard not to like.
Polite. Smart. That whole golden retriever energy.
Yeah, I may have had a tiny crush on him. Okay, fine—a soft spot.
But do I still like him?Hmm.I don't think I'm jealous… but if he's really dating Bella, I do feel kinda bad for him.Ugh, this is a mess. My brain was spiraling faster than a freshman on Red Bull when someone knocked on the door.The decorators had arrived.Right. The decoration committee. That's me. That's my job. Focus, Iyra."Let's get started," I told them, clapping my hands together and slipping into boss mode. "We've got fairy lights, mason jars, and no time for emotional drama. Let's go."I walked around, making sure every detail was on point, but my mind? Still stuck on Bella, Andrew, and Kian's little outburst.
Something's brewing—and I'm not sure I wanna know what it is.